Combined automatic fire extinguisher and alarm



Aug. 2, 1932. E: P HL 1,869,503

COMBINED AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALARM Filed June 26, 1931 ERNEST. 1*. Porn,

Patented Aug. 2, 1932 OFFICE- UNITED 0F s'r; LonIs, niss'oonrnssienom To Annemarie FIRE EXTIN- enrsnnn & ALARM? 0oz, or s'Iiouis,- mssoonr Application filed J' une 2'6,

The invention relates to; a combined autoniatic fire extinguisher and alarm.

The object of the present "vention is to improve the construction of combined automatic fire extinguishers and alarms and to provide a simple, practical and efficient automatic fire extinguisher and alarm of comparatively inexpensive construction adapted also for use as a burglar alarm and tear gas bomb, and possessing great strength, d'u'rabile ity and power and adapted to be readily in stalled in homes, factories, automobiles, motor boats, airplanes, and in any other place where a fire'is liable to'occur.

A further object of the invention is toprovide' a combined automatic fire extinguisher and alarm equipped with a fusible member normally holding a' spring actuated hammer in a retracted position and adapted in the event o fa fireto'befusedby the heat thereof for releasing the spring 'actuated' hammer, which carries a cartridge or other concussion fired explosive, and which' hen released will violently strike a; frangible container, there'- by explolingthe cartridgeorother explosive to sound an alarm and simultaneouslybreaking the said receptacle and scattering the liquid contained therein for a considerable distance. p I

With theseandother objects in View, the invention consists in the construction novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the" acand set forth the claims hereto appended, it'being' understood that" various changes in'the form, proportion and minor details of construction; within the scope of the claims, may beresort ed to gm without departing'f'romthe' of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. I)

In th'e drawing: I Figure 1 is aside elevation" of a combined automatic fire extinguisher and ala'rni'j con structed in' accordancewiththisinvention.

I Fig; 2'is a perspectiv'ef view of the same, the combined automatic fire extinguisher and alarm being shown in another "p ositio'n:

Fig; 3 is 'afront elevationo' f" the lewerfend of the comhined automatic fire extinguisher 1931. Serial No. 547,683.

and alarm, the device being arranged as Sll'QWli' in Fig. I.

Fig. 4 isan enlarged detail sectional view on the line" 4- of Fig. 3.

In the a companying" drawing, in which is illustrated the referred embodiment of the invention, the combined automatic fire extinguisherand alarm, which is adapted to be arranged in' any desired position, either vertically' with either end at the top, or in any other position, comprises in its construction a substantially L-sh'aped bracket l, constructed of heavy sheet metal or other suitable material" stamped or otherwise formed.

The bla'nk or piece which forms the'L- shaped bracket isbent at right angles intermediate of its endsto form aback 2 and an end wall 3' which is provided" with a central circular opening" 4; to receive a reduced tapered end 5 of a frangible container 6. The frangible container, which is constructed of glass or other suitable material", is designed primarilyfor containing carbon tetrachloride or other suitable fire extinguishing fluid which is adapted toflbe converted into a gas by the heat of the fire to smother or extinguish thefiame' in the usual manner, but the frangible receptaclejmaycontain tear gas and be used as a burglaralar'm, as hereinafter more fully explained; The container 6 is preferably rounded at the other end, as hown, and is provided with a cylindrical bodyportionfwhich'isfirmly gripped and securely held bycurv'edspring'arms 7 having attaching portions 8" riveted or otherwise secu'red tot'he' front" face of the back of the bracket, as clearly illustrated'in Fig. 2 of the'dr'awiiig, and pre'fer'ahlyspaced apart as shown; and partially'embracing the cylindrical body portion of the container at opp'osi te sides thereof with sufiicient pressure tq hold the containerfirmly' in the position shown'in Fig. 2 or in any other position in which it maybede'sired' to arrange the com; bined automatic fire extinguisher and'ala'rm', orfthe" device when used as 'a burglar alarm,

TheendwallB, which" constitutes an abutni'entfor'one end of the {container and pro-' vides a's'eatfor siich end, isprovided at one of its side edges with spaced ears 9, preferably formed integral with the end wall 8 and bend outwardly at right angles to the exterior face of the end wall and provided with aligned perforations for supporting a pin 10 which constitutes a pivot for a swinging hammer 11 which when set is arranged at the exterior face of the end wall 3. The hammer when tripped or released is adapted to swing around the edge of the end wall towards the inner face of the same to carry a firing pin 12 and a hammer head 13 into violent contact with the adjacent side of the frangible container to explode a cartridge 14 to sound an alarm and to break the container and scatter the liquid contents thereof for a considerable distance. I

The hammer 11 is of channel formation and the longitudinal side flanges are carried around the outer end of the hammer at 15 to form a seat for the hammer head, which may be secured to the hammer in any desired manner. The hammer is actuated in its swinging movement to fire the cartridge and shatter the container by a spring consisting of spaced coils 16 and the connecting loop 17. The pivot 10 passes through the longitudinal side flanges of the hammer and the coils 16 of the spring are arranged on the pivot between the ears 9 and the sides of the ham mer, and the terminals 18 of the spring bear against the ears 9 which form stops for holding the terminals of the spring to enable the loop 17, in which the hammer is arranged, to tension the spring when the hammer is swung outwardly and rearwardly to the position illustrated in the accompanying drawing. The hammer is held insuch position by a fusible link 19, and when released by the heat from a fire is swung forwardly and inwardly by the loop of the spring, which extends along the sides of the hammer and across the same adjacent the head. The fusible link, which may be of any desired construction and of any suitable material, is provided at its ends with openings 20which are engaged by hooks or lugs 21 and 22 of the hammer and end wall respectively. The hooks or lugs 21 and 22 are preferably formed integral with the hammer and the end wall 3 by partially severing the metal of such parts and bending the partially severed metal into the forms shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

When it is desired to use the device as a burglar alarm, any suitable means may be provided for enabling the link to be disengaged from one of the lugs orhooks, for instance the approximately L-shaped lug or hook 22. In such use the frangible receptacle will'cont-ain tear gas material and the device may be located within a bank or other financial institution, business houses, and the like, and the operating'means for releasing the hammer will of course extend to a convenient position to be operated by a teller or other person.

The head of the hammer is provided with a central opening 23 in which is arranged the firing pin 12 provided at its inner end with a conical head 24 arranged within a socket 25 of the hammer head. The socket 25 is interiorly threaded to receive a threaded cartridgecarrying sleeve 26 having a bore 27 for the reception of the cartridge 14. The cartridge 14, which is preferably a center fire cartridge,

. hasits head arranged at the inner end of the sleeve, which is screwed inwardly sufficiently to carry the cartridge into contact with the apex of the'conical head of the firing pin. The cartridge carrying sleeve is provided at its outer end with the flange 28 which is milled or checkered to enable it to be readily grasped and rotated to screw into and out of the socket of the hammer.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined automatic fire extinguisher and alarm comprising a supporting bracket having a back and end wall, the end wall being provided adjacent the edge with spaced ears extending outwardly from the exterior face of the end wall, means carried by the bracket for holding a frangible liquid receiving container with a portion adjacent the said end wall, a pivot supported by the said ears, a hammer of channel formation having longitudinal flanges extending around one end to form a seat for a hammer head, the other end of the hammer being mounted on the said pivot, a spring mounted on the pivot and en aging the hammer and adapted to throw t e same violently into contact with the container, fusible means connecting the hammer with the bracket for holding the hammer against the action of the spring, a hammer head mounted in the said seat of the hammer, and means carried by the hammer head for holding an explosive and for exploding the same by concussion when the hammer strikes the container.

2. A device of the class described comprising a one-piece L-shaped bracket consisting of a back and an end wall extending from the back and having the metal of the end wall at one of its edges partially severed and bent outwardly from the exterior face of the end wall to form ears, a pin secured in the said cars, a hammer pivoted to the bracket by the said pin and arranged to swing around the edge of theendwall from the exterior face thereof towards the inside of the same, a spring engaging the hammer and having coils isposed on the said pivot, lugs carried by the hammer and the end wall, a releasable link engaged with the lugs for holding the hammer in a retracted position against the action of the spring, and means for supporting a liquid receiving container on the bracket with a portion in the path of the hammer,whereby the frangible container will be violently struck by the hammer and its liquid contents scattered a considerable distance.

3. A device of the class described comprising a one-piece L-shaped bracket consisting of a back and an end wall extending from the back and having the metal of the end wall at one of its edges partially severed and bent outwardly from the exterior face of the end wall to form ears, a pin secured in the said ears, a hammer of channel formation having longitudinal flanges pivoted adjacent one end at its flanged portion to the bracket intermediate of the said ears by the said pin and arranged to swing around the edge of the end wall from the exterior face thereof towards the inside of the same, a spring engaging the longitudinal flanges of the hammer and having coils disposed on the said pivot lugs carried by the hammer and the end wall, a releasable link engaged with the lugs for holding the hammer in a retracted position against the action of the spring, and means for supporting a frangible liquid receiving container on the bracket with a portion thereof in the path of the hammer, whereby the frangible container upon releasing of the hammer by means of the link, will be violently struck by the hammer and its liquid contents scattered a considerable distance.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of June, 1931.

ERNEST F. POHL. 

